Plastics- Eliza Jane Schaeffer

The best advice I've ever gotten is from my mother. Ever since my brothers and I were little and would complain about something being "impossible" that we "can't do," my mom always responded with "can't never could." I used to absolutely hate it when she said that. It would bother me because she would never acknowledge that I couldn't do something. "I can't go to swim practice, it's too cold." "I can't jump off the high dive, it's too scary." Her response was always "can't never could!" 

As I got older, the meaning behind the saying really hit me. Can't never could. If you say you can't do something, there is a one hundred percent garuntee that you won't do it. But if you believe you can for just five seconds, enough to say "sure I'll try," you might just be able to.

So in middle school, when I really wanted to break a 6 minute mile but struggled, I told myself can't never could and I did it. Freshman year when I was overwhelmed by the size of Henry Clay and was scared to talk to people I didn't know, I told myself can't never could and I did it. This year, I almost chickened out of running for KYA Governor because I was certain I'd fail. But can't never could, so I gave it a shot. 

Now every time I hear someone say they "can't" do something, I only respond with my mother's advice. It probably bothers them as much as it bothered me when I was little, but one day it'll hit them and they will thank me.